Tokyo, July 18: Double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu reached her maiden Japan Open Super 750 final after China’s Chen Yufei retired with a hamstring injury during their women’s singles semifinal on Saturday.
Sindhu was in commanding form throughout the 44-minute contest and led 21-19, 15-10 when the fourth-seeded Chinese shuttler was forced to concede the match.
The victory marks a major milestone for the former world champion, who reached her first Super 750 final and advanced past Tokyo Olympic champion Chen Yufei for the first time in seven years. It is also Sindhu’s first BWF World Tour final since the 2024 Syed Modi International.
The impressive run comes at an ideal time, with the BWF World Championships just weeks away, highlighting the Indian star’s return to top form.
Sindhu will now face reigning world champion Akane Yamaguchi of Japan in Sunday’s title clash. The final promises to be a thrilling contest, with Sindhu holding a narrow 15-14 head-to-head advantage over the home favourite.
A victory would give the two-time Olympic medallist her first Japan Open title and further boost her confidence ahead of the World Championships.
